CANYON, Texas – The top ranked Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M outscored #20 Tarleton State 28-2 in a pair of run-rule routs on Saturday afternoon to complete a Lone Star Conference sweep as WT improved on the best start to a season in school history at Schaeffer Park in Canyon during Strike Out Cancer Weekend. The Lady Buffs move to 20-0 (4-0 LSC) while the TexAnns fall to 12-9 (0-4 LSC) overall.
GAME #1The TexAnns used small ball in the first inning as Melody Mays walked to start the game followed by a stolen base and wild pitch before an RBI groundout put the first run on the board at 1-0, WT responded in the home half with a leadoff single by
Stacey Ramirez followed by a
Brittany Gehle single to right before
Shea Ibrahim put the Lady Buffs on the board with a single back up the middle to score two as WT took the 2-1 lead.
The Lady Buffs added to their lead in the home half of the second as
Brittany Cruz came thru again with a three-run inside the park homerun off of the right center field fence with no outs that sparked a 10-run frame as Cruz hit a two-run bomb over the black monster in left field later in the inning as the Lady Buffs took the commanding 12-1 lead. WT used the long ball again in the third as
Lacey Taylor connected on a two run blast to center field with no outs followed later in the inning with a
Shayne Starkey RBI single up the middle and another Cruz RBI to run the WT lead to 16-1.
WT added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as
Alyssa Montoya tripled off of the left center field wall with one out as
Briana Garza scored from first followed by an
Ashley Hardin sacrifice fly to center to score Montoya before a
Bailey Anderson RBI single and a TSU error to score two more runs at 20-1. The TexAnns cut into the lead in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI single with two outs to right field before a groundout to Garza at third ended the game, 20-2.
Kilee Halbert picked up the win (8-0) for the Lady Buffs, giving up two runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in the complete game win.
GAME #2The Lady Buffs took an early lead in the series finale as Ibrahim grounded out to second base with runners on second and third following a TSU passed ball as Ramirez scored with one out before a Hardin RBI single to left center and an RBI single from Starkey to run the WT lead to 3-0. WT added to their lead in the home half of the third inning as Coveney walked on a full-count offering with one out to run the lead to 4-0.
The TexAnns registered their first hit of the game to start the fourth inning off of WT starter
Alexis Alfonso before the Pima CC transfer forced a fielder's choice groundout to Ibrahim at third followed by a pair of Tarleton singled to load the bases with one out, Fonz forced a ground out to the circle for a fielder's choice and out at the plate and a ground ball to Ramirez at short as the senior stepped on second to end the frame at 4-0.
The Lady Buffs put the game out of reach in the home half of the fourth inning with a three-run double to left center with the bases loaded by
Allie Smith followed by an RBI double from Starkey as WT ran their lead to 8-0 headed to the fifth. That was all the lead that Fonz would need as the junior stranded a base runner to go along with three strikeouts as she moved to 4-0 on the season, allowing no runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts in the complete game shutout.
NEXT UPThe top ranked Lady Buffs continue Lone Star Conference action next weekend as they head to Wichita Falls, Texas for a four-game Highway 287 Challenge Cup Series matchup with the rival Mustangs of Midwestern State starting on Friday night at Mustang Park at 5 p.m.
